Non-surgical treatments for breast cancer

Surgery is one of the main treatments for breast cancer. Other auxiliary treatments include chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, radiotherapy and biological therapy.

1. Chemotherapy

Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer can significantly improve the survival rate of patients. Chemotherapy plays an important role in the entire treatment of breast cancer. Preoperative chemotherapy can detect the sensitivity of tumors to drugs, shrink tumors, reduce adhesion to surrounding tissues, and reduce intraoperative bleeding.

2. Radiation therapy

Radiotherapy is one of the local treatment methods for breast cancer. It is an important part of breast cancer surgery that conserves the breast. A high dose of radiotherapy should be given after extensive local excision of the tumor. Radiotherapy after radical surgery for breast cancer in stage II and above can reduce the local recurrence rate.

3. Endocrine therapy

Endocrine therapy is mostly used for patients with hormone-dependent breast cancer. In recent years, the commonly used drug is tamoxifen, which can reduce the recurrence and metastasis of breast cancer after surgery and reduce the incidence of contralateral breast cancer. The recently developed aromatase inhibitor letrozole also has a good anti-breast cancer effect.

4. Biological therapy

In recent years, trastuzumab injection, which has gradually been promoted for clinical use, is prepared through genetic modification technology and has a certain effect on breast cancer patients, especially for breast cancer patients who are not responsive to chemotherapy drugs.